Politicians aren’t the only ones making a final push before the Nov. 4 general election.

Along with the office of the Champaign County Clerk, registered student organizations such as I-Vote are doing their best to promote the political season with a good amount of the student electorate. By spreading information on candidates, local referendums and voter registration, I-Vote President Ross Good hopes to increase non-partisan political awareness amongst students at the University before Election Day.

“We typically send one or two coordinators to pass out information to fraternities and sororities as well as other student organizations,” Good said. “We’re also putting on informational forums at Gregory Hall and showing the Vice Presidential debates on Oct. 2.”

This is somewhat of a departure from the efforts made during the primary elections in February. According to Illini Union Program Manager Amy Sponsler, the measures taken to inform and register voters this fall are much more intensive.

“There wasn’t a big concerted effort in February,” Sponsler said. “Though we did do some things to help voters gather information about on-campus elections.”

For the general election, one action I-Vote has undertaken is the creation of maps showing the location of polling places. Good cites the work of Champaign County Clerk Mark Shelden as instrumental in this process. He also notes that departments like University Housing and resident advisers have been very helpful in spreading information to those living in the residence halls.

If the range of I-Vote’s activism is any indicator, student-voter turnout should be significant when it comes time to cast ballots. Sponsler said she believes that the students she keeps in touch with are politically active.

“I feel like most of the students I work with are pretty engaged,” said Sponsler. “A lot of them choose to vote absentee because the issues going on in their hometowns are still important to them.”

But the focus on the historic race for the White House may overshadow the local issues and candidates during an election.

Abbey Richeson, junior in AHS, who is voting absentee this year, said the hype over the next president makes it difficult to focus on more localized affairs.

“I’ve seen efforts and heard of events to get students educated on local events,” Richeson said. “But I’ve honestly just been more concerned with the presidential election.”

Good said that so much focus on the national race detracts voters from local issues that may be less widely known.

“I really think students do overlook the local aspects of an election,” Good said. “I know I had to re-read some of the referendums on the ballot this year to better understand them.”